Fluid pumps

ABSTRACT

A high speed fluid pump consisting of the combination of a rotor with multiple feathering blades, the said assembly being enclosed in a casing contoured to the said rotor, said casing having a suction and a discharge in line with each other and in line with approximately one third of the outer periphery of the said rotor, and a fluid guiding vane, all with the object of propelling liquids or gases on a straight line from the said suction through the said discharge openings on a laminar basis, and reducing to a minimum the causes of cavitation and turbulence. This device should be particularly useful to provide propulsion for watercraft where large areas of thrust, minimum underwater protrusion and flexibility of maintenance are desireable.

United States Patent 1 Gassie FLUID PUMPS Donald V. Gassie, 316 Roosevelt St., Lafayette, La. 70501 [22] Filed: Apr. 8, 1974 [21] Appl. No.1 458,763

[76] Inventor:

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Germany 415/202 8/1919 United Kingdom 415/202 3/1926 Netherlands 415/202 Primary Examiner-Henry F. Raduazo [57] ABSTRACT ,A high speed fluid pump consisting of the combination of a rotor with multiple feathering blades, the said assembly being enclosed in a casing contoured to the said rotor, said casing having a suction and a discharge in line with each other and in line with approximately one third of the outer periphery of the said rotor, and a fluid guiding vane, all with. the object of propelling liquids or gases on a straight 1ine from the said suction through the said discharge openings on a laminar basis, and reducing to a minimum the causes of cavitation and turbulence. This device should be particularly useful to provide propulsion for water-craft where large areas of thrust, minimum underwater protrusion and flexibility of maintenance are desireable.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures US. Patent 0a. 28, 1975 [FIGI [FIGZ FLUID, PUMPS The present invention relates to high speed fluid pumps and consists of the combination of a rotor formed by two discs fixed parallel on a common axle with multiple feathering blades on axles between the said discs having their outer edges even with and at right angles to the outer edges of the said discs. The said rotor and blade assembly is installed within a casing contoured to the said rotor and has a suction and a discharge area and openings in a straight line with each other and in line with approximately one third of the outer periphery of the rotor. The cross section shapes of the said suction and discharge areas may be any practical shape, however, square, rectangular and circular appear to be the most feasible. Bearings are installed on the walls of the casing to support the rotor axle. A vane is installed from the upper inside portion of the discharge, its width being the tolerable distance between the two discs, toward and to a point adjacent to the furthest point of blade travel in the direction of the discharge opening. This vane serves as a guide to the fluid flow. The feathering of the blades may be accomplished by any conventional method, such as invented in 1811 by Robert Buchanan, 1929 by Elijah Galloway, the famous Morgan Wheel" of paddlewheel steamboat days, planetary gears, etc., all with the idea of feathering the blades so they will enter into and emerge from the water in a perpendicular or near perpendicular angle to the water line. Feathering of the blades on the model being tested is by a planetary gear system mounted flush with the outer face of one of the said discs which consists of a central gear which is placed on and over the rotor axle on a bearing and attached to a handle which is connected to the casing substructure in a manner that will permit the movement of the said handle several degrees in either direction. The gears meshed to the central gear are installed on axles fixed to the outer face of the said disc, and further meshed to gears fixed to the blade axles. Rotation of the rotor causes the blades to rotate on their axles but remain at the same plane angle throughout the entire revolution of the rotor.

It is well known that turbulence caused by centrifugal force and vortex, and cavitation caused by uneven pressures between the front and rear of propeller blades, are some of the most serious problems faced by engineers of fluid dynamics. It is the object of this invention to reduce these problems to a minimum, and at the same time, in the case of water-craft propulsion, to provide a means of water propulsion with a strong and large thrust factor, with a minimum of underwater protrusion and flexibility of maintenance without drydocking or the use of underwater divers.

FIG. 1 is an end view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the invention.

This invention consists of the combination of seven main components, some of which are schematically shown on the accompanying drawing, namely; (1) a rotor formed by two discs fixed parallel on a common axle; (2) multiple feathering blades on axles between the said discs with their outer edges even with and at right angles to the outer edges of the said discs; (3) a casing contoured to and containing the said rotor and blade assembly and having a (4) suction and a (5) discharge area and opening on a straight line with each other and in line with the approximately one third of the outer periphery of the rotor, and with bearings at its outer walls to support the rotor axles; (6) a blade feathering system (not shown because it may be any of the conventional systems previously invented and used); (7) a vane installed from the upper inside portion of the discharge area, having the width of the distance between the said discs, between and at right angles to the said discs toward and ma point adjacent to the furthest point of blade travel in the direction of the discharge opening. Not shown is a source of compressed air or other fluid that may be introduced into the upper portion of the casing to either lower the water line in the casing or to balance out differing pressures that may occurbecause of varying viscosities of the fluids.

In operation, the blades are normally set into the same vertical angular position, while simultaneous variations can be made by adjusting the blade feathering system. The entire devicemay be placed in water or other liquid to a depth of at least covering the suction opening and approximately one third of the outer periphery of the rotor. The rotor assembly is then rotated in a direction away from the suction area toward the discharge area. The blades remain in the angular position as set throughout the entire revolution of the rotor, thus causing the blades to enter and emerge from the fluid at the same angles. This will cause the fluid to flow straight through the suction area and out of the discharge opening in laminar fashion with minimum turbulence, and will result in a reactive thrust. A small portion of the fluid will rotate upward and around the casing and return to the suction area at great velocity causing a pressure rise there and assisting in equalizing the pressures on the front and rear faces of the blades, thus minimizing the occurence of cavitation. In watercraft propulsion, at high rotor speeds with a heavy tow, the angular position of the blades if adjusted slightly forward will cause additional fluid to round the casing thus further reducing the probability of cavitation. The blades successively following each other as the rotor turns further increases the pressure behind the preceding blade, again reducing the probability of cavitation. If the unit is operated in toto below the water line or under pressure at the suction opening, compressed air may be introduced into the upper portion of the casing to lower the water line therein, which will also increase the pressure on the suction side again tending to reduce cavitation. The faces of the discs close to the end edges of the blades prevent vortex in those areas and the closeness of the blade edge to the bottom of the casing will choke off vortex at that point. Turbulence from centrifugal forces are at a minimum because the blades do not change their angular position during rotation of the rotor, and the centrifugal force effects that do arise from other sources cause the fluid to go upward and around the casing wallwhere it increases the pressures and reduces the possibility of cavitation.

The test model has a rotor with an eight inch diameter, the blades are 2% X 2% inches, the device is driven by a 12 volt automobile air blower (approximately l/l2 H.P.), and its casing has a transparent upper wall for observation of fluid flow. Photographic exhibits l and 2 show this unit in operation, and clearly indicate its laminar flow in a restricted area. Exhibit 3 shows the laminar flow in a less restricted tank, and through the transparent upper casing shows the return of some of the fluid to the suction area.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing and explained in the specifications and while various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.

Having thus completely and fully described the invention, what is now claimed and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States of America is:

l. A fluid pump which consists of the combination of the seven following main components in the arrangements shown, viz; (l) a rotor which is formed by two discs fixed parallel on a common axle; (2) multiple feathering blades on axles between the said discs with their outer edges even with and at right angles to the outer edges of the said discs; (3) a casing contoured to and containing the said rotor and blade assembly, and having a (4) suction and a (5) discharge area and openings on a straight'line with each other and in line with approximately one third of the outer periphery of the said rotor, and with rotor axle bearings at its sides; (6) a conventional blade feathering system; and (7) a vane extending from the upper inside portion of the discharge area, having a width of the tolerable distance between the said discs, between and at right angles to the said discs, toward and to a point adjacent to the furthest point of blade travel in the direction of the discharge opening.

2. A fluid pump which consists of the combination of the seven following main components in the arrangement shown, viz; (l) a rotor which is formed by two discs fixed parallel on a common axle; (2) multiple feathering blades on axles between the said discs with their outer edges even with and at right angles to the outer edges of the said discs; (3) a casing contoured to and containing the said rotor and blade assembly, and having a (4) suction and a (5) discharge area and openings on a straight line with each other and in line with approximately one third of the outer periphery of the said rotor, and with rotor axle bearings at its sides; (6) a blade feathering system of planetary gears mounted flush to the outer face of one of the said discs and comprised of a central gear which is placed on and over the rotor axle on a bearing and attached to a handle which is connected to the casing sub-structure in a manner which permits its movement several degrees in either direction, the said central gear is meshed to gears on axles fixed to the outer face of the said disc, who are in turn meshed to gears fixed to the blade axles; (7) a vane extending from the upper inside portion of the discharge area, having a width of the tolerable distance between the said discs, between and at right angles to the said discs, toward and to a point adjacent to the furthest point of blade travel in the direction of the discharge opening. 

1. A fluid pump which consists of the combination of the seven following main components in the arrangements shown, viz; (1) a rotor which is formed by two discs fixed parallel on a common axle; (2) multiple feathering blades on axles between the said discs with their outer edges even with and at right angles to the outer edges of the said discs; (3) a casing contoured to and containing the said rotor and blade assembly, and having a (4) suction and a (5) discharge area and openings on a straight line with each other and in line with approximately one third of the outer periphery of the said rotor, and with rotor axle bearings at its sides; (6) a conventional blade feathering system; and (7) a vane extending from the upper inside portion of the discharge area, having a width of the tolerable distance between the said discs, between and at right angles to the said discs, toward and to a point adjacent to the furthest point of blade travel in the direction of the discharge opening.
 2. A fluid pump which consists of the combination of the seven following main components in the arrangement shown, viz; (1) a rotor which is formed by two discs fixed parallel on a common axle; (2) multiple feathering blades on axles between the said discs with their outer edges even with and at right angles to the outer edges of the said discs; (3) a casing contoured to and containing the said rotor and blade assembly, and having a (4) suction and a (5) discharge area and openings on a straight line with each other and in line with approximately one third of the outer periphery of the said rotor, and with rotor axle bearings at its sides; (6) a blade feathering system of planetary gears mounted flush to the outer face of one of the said discs and comprised of a central gear which is placed on and over the rotor axle on a bearing and attached to a handle which is connected to the casing sub-structure in a manner which permits its movement several degrees in either direction, the said central gear is meshed to gears on axles fixed to the outer face of the said disc, who are in turn meshed to gears fixed to the blade axles; (7) a vane extending from the upper inside portion of the discharge area, having a width of the tolerable distance between the said discs, between and at right angles to the said discs, toward and to a point adjacent to the furthest point of blade travel in the direction of the discharge opening. 